Sailing Into the New World

By Felecia Stratton

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The Spanish and Portuguese sailed into the New World half a millennium ago seeking fame and fortune. Today, a new breed of intrepid business explorers is finding safe anchorage in Latin America, targeting the area's abundant potential for manufacturing and logistics activities in hopes of achieving fame and fortune of their own.

Inbound Logistics first made editorial inroads into Latin America in 2004 with the debut of Inbound Logistics Mexico, a monthly publication that reaches 15,000 transport and logistics professionals in Mexico. In this issue, we are extending our editorial coverage in Latin America and beyond, with a special Latin America logistics supplement available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, in print and online.

Asia and Eastern Europe currently command the immediate purview of global sourcers and outsourcers. But Latin America remains in peripheral sight and is gradually turning heads in high places as transportation and logistics infrastructure continues to mature. Recent U.S. investment in Latin America, largely attributed to NAFTA and CAFTA trade agreements, confirms this trend.

Between 2003 and 2005, U.S. foreign direct investment in Latin America grew from $297 billion to $353 billion, with Mexico ($57 billion to $71 billion) and Brazil ($30 billion to $32 billion) capturing the lion share of U.S. outlay, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

While globalization opens new avenues for trade such as Latin America, it also places greater burdens on transportation connections, often requiring the expertise of third-party intermediaries.

The air cargo industry, for example, is rife with questions about consolidation, security, and rising fuel prices, yet still continues an upward climb as you will read in Lisa Terry's article, Air Cargo Navigates Uncertain Skies.

Not surprisingly, airfreight forwarders are capitalizing on this uncertainty. Our annual Who's Who in Airfreight Forwarding offers some clarity, with detailed snapshots of some leading players to help you make informed decisions about potential partners.

Rounding out this month's editorial coverage is our annual Chemical Logistics supplement. In concert with ChemicalWeek, Inbound Logistics offers an in-depth look at the fast-growing chemical industry, complete with shipper case histories, logistics best practices, and profiles of available services and solutions for companies involved in the chemical supply chain.

Whether you are looking for low-cost sourcing locations, trying to keep pace with the air cargo sector, or perplexed by ever-changing hazmat protocol, this issue offers a comprehensive overview of trends shaping the new global world—and perhaps a little more incentive to flaunt your company's global conquests.

Has your company made a successful leap into Latin America? E-mail your discoveries to editor@inboundlogistics.com.